File photo of Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif
PHOTO: INP
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday the government had made the biggest ever investment in south Punjab’s history in the form of Quaid-i-Azam Solar Energy Project.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Rs200 billion power project at Noor Sar village in Cholistan near Bahawalpur.
The CM said the solar park had the capacity to generate 1,000MW electricity. In its first phase [starting in the first quarter of 2014] he said it would produce 100MW.
“The project will open business opportunities and encourage foreign investment… new hotels will be built in the area… the airport will also be upgraded,” he said.
“This is the biggest project in Bahawalpur’s history and a step towards eliminating the sense of deprivation that has prevailed here,” he added.
Sharif said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claimed to be the “champions of south Punjab” but people had voted them out of power and opted for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
He said billions of rupees had been spent on Multan airport but it was still incomplete.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the project would populate a new city and thus enhance the importance of Bahawalpur.
He said resources would be provided for infrastructure development at Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park. He said the government was working on hydel, solar, coal, biogas, biomass and other sources of power generation and several agreements had been signed with power generation companies for this purpose.
He said there would be no political appointments to the solar project team. “The people of Bahawalpur will be preferred in the jobs,” he said.
Sharif said he considered Nawab Salahuddin “an elder brother.” He also said Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi had been a great leader. Several Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz parliamentarians were present on the occasion.
Later, the chief minister visited the newly constructed 125-bed district headquarters hospital in Lodhran.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2013.
COMMENTS (32)
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sir fast do same thing for nation then say
@Sudhanshu Swami: If time is wasted on such negative thinkings...nothing will move forward.What do you think....these traits are not part of our indian enterprise also?
@Lal: what do you mean? It means India copied the Solar projects since it was started in EUROPE? Friend do not make nonsense of Indian wisdom under bias.There have been so many things in India (like METRO) which was copied from west.And ofcourse PRIVATAZION of business in India by RAO govt.was copied after Pakistan has started it.So what does it prove?
@gbf: Whats the point of bringing INDIA into this? This shows our deep obsession with Pakistan.Apart from this both have different SIZE of population....needs....so what pakistan has to do if we are establishing word's biggest plant? This tendency of expressing our superiority over Pakistan is nothing but unfounded arrogance since we do have many pressing problems.
I can think of just 3 words, Comission, Comission, Comission.
There are still some idiots who are thinking this is true and credible
200 billion for just 1000 megawatts. it is insane. we can generate more electricity from thermal power, i.e., the use of coal with the same amount of investments. our leaders are visionless. solar energy don't have any future in pakistan until our economy reaches 500 billion dollars gdp. the cost to maintain solar plants is very high. people of punjab will never be able to pay such high rates.
@gbf: This is the initial stage of the project. The total capacity of the project when fully commissioned would be 5,000 MW.
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=216834
I'm glad it's named what it is. Was getting frustrated with the muppets naming everything shaheed benazir Bhutto. If they had won the election they would have renamed the country bhuttostan.
This is paid content. Disclaimer must be added.
my two pennies. Solar power is good, but not good when economy of nation is down. Cost of power will be high. It needs lots of land. Also later, as it requires lesser maintenance and easy to setup, means very less employment will be generated. All these factors can further affect economy. At the other hand, who will get benefited ? 1 Dealers/mediators(political contacts) of solar panels, 2 China (Sab China hai ) 3 Land mafia (may be ) struggling economies should invest in Solar setups after 2020.
@ whitesky
land will be provided by govt of Punjab.
practical man SS
Good step by CM to get rid of loadshedding
@PTI Boi
This is 1000MW project but will start getting 100 MW in March 2014.
Solar power is the way to go as its clean energy. Land availability is a big issue for large Giga watt size solar farms. In Gujarat, India we are installing Solar panels over the canals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CanalSolarPower_Project). This helps not only in power production, but in saving water from evaporation. In France they have solar panels over railway tracks. Power from such panels is used for railway eclectic supply.India is planning to have at least 20GW solar power in next few years (http://www.livemint.com/Politics/z2HE5yo7wRXAH40MHytsCK/Indias-mega-solar-farm-targets-selling-power-at-recordlow.html).
SS the man of the hour!!! Respect.
Solar parks are a foolish idea envisaged by MBA types. To clean the panels we engineers will have to design and build cleaning robots on such a large scale that it will would defeat the purpose of free energy.
Why pakistan always wants to copy India on developments, in this case solar park in lahore just like the same in Gujarat ?
@gbf: Who cares! The article has nothing to do with India!
Hiring local people on priority and preferential supply to local is the most important point. infrastructure development in bhawalpur is also important. it will definitely improve local economy and indirectly national economy.
I would also suggest similar projects in jhang /bhakar area.
Any infrastructure , power generation and public welfare project is welcome. no matter who does this. well done.
Not to get too excited but still this is what democracy does. Politicians want vote and they DO some work to get them as eventually they are accountable to voters as opposed to some General who allowed CNG for vehicles without any thinking what kind of shortages it would create and damage industry. Politicians zindabad. Corruption can be tackled don't give me that.
good step, better than others always doing good for people
India is building in Rajasthan world's largest solar power project with 4000MW capacity.
what does it mean for per unit cost to the consumers ?
Is there a vision for clean price competitive uninterrupted power to the nation ?
Good job...maybe the bullet train can also have a stop at bahawalpur?
We can get the news of katirna kaif birthday and aishwariya rai daughter from our media...but when after a decade of violence and no entertainment a cricket match for our terror stricken and most badly effected are is going on..I am so angry and sad today on the hypocrisy of our mainstream media....after so many years there is a atmosphere of happiness and fun in this city..people are enjoining..but every one is on mute..the moderator who is reading this should publish my comment and tell the bosses to publish this news on the front page as you do with other ant PTI news..
Good Step CM. We on the other side of the political spectrum appreciate. Tribune good going with the 1000MW tagline, its actually 100MW but since its N, you must support.
The news article does not reveal as to what will be the project outlay and how the same is proposed to be financed . what about the land for such a big solar energy park ( solar plates need space)? what will be the cost of production and the price of electricity per unit. . Absence of all these information lead to believe that it is a political stunt. Moreover why the journalists don't throw such important questions to the CM?.
Some more money to be made by the power cartel.